Broadband data collection bill passes full House

Data about broadband in the US may be in for some major improvements. The …

The House of Representatives has approved the Broadband Census of America Act on a voice vote. Sponsored by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), the bill passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee late last month, and would drastically overhaul the Federal Communications Commission's antiquated broadband data collection methodology.

One of the hot topics when it comes to discussing broadband is how well the US is faring compared to western European and Asian nations when it comes to broadband deployment. The general consensus is not all that well, as different surveys place the US anywhere from 11th to 24th (the OECD says 15th). Part of the problem is that broadband data collection in America is such a mess.

Currently, the FCC says that a ZIP code is served by broadband if just a single subscriber has a connection of 200Kbps or faster. That will change under the Broadband Census Act. Broadband providers will have to provide specific subscriber numbers, the technology used, and advertised speeds.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will use the data to create broadband deployment maps, which it will make available to the public on the Internet. These maps will show what kind of broadband is available in which areas, and will drill down to the ZIP+4 level.

Rep. Ed Markey

Rep. Markey hailed the bill's passage. "This broadband mapping bill reflects the fact that current data collection methods used by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are inadequate and highly flawed," he said in a statement. "We must have more reliable information about broadband deployment and consumer adoption as a first step in developing any comprehensive blueprint for America's broadband future."

A companion bill in the Senate, the Broadband Data Improvement Act, has yet to make it to the Senate floor for a vote. It unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in July and was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar late last month.